New Avalon

[yamikuronue]

"Here, in this office? It's pretty much the funds." Still, though, she knows what he meant. Why had she come here to the city at all? It felt so long ago that she'd struck out for New Avalon; she'd left a week after burying her mother, when she realized her dead-end job wasn't fulfilling. Mother had wanted her to follow her dreams, so she had followed them... and ended up in the gutter, with a new understanding of what desperation really meant. Had it been so bad, small-town life? Well, it didn't matter. She couldn't afford a ticket home even if there was a home to go back to.

[CalamityJade]

Mr. Harrox seemed to smile as he sat down in his chair. "Well..that is a point. You can't very well entrust a stranger with your secrets. After all, I have strict instructions for my employees about the card you brought here...I don't imagine you asked much about that, did you?" That...is a good point. Why HADN'T she asked why there were only cards for certain people?

[yamikuronue]

She shakes her head. "Honestly... how you do business is your business. Plenty of strange people in this city, who am I to judge? He said you could help me, so I came here."

[CalamityJade]

"And that I can...and I feel this will be quite beneficial." He had that analyzing look that probably made Erika's skin crawl. He seemed to be looking almost through her. "My business here is two-fold. On one side, I make arrangements with individuals like yourself to...shore up in the harsher times of their waiting. Obviously you can see the merit in that, especially when they find themselves flush with funds and rapidly climbing their respective ladders.

[yamikuronue]

Erika nods. "I can see that, for sure." She'd definitely remember him when she got Welcomed -- and that stupid boss of hers too. She'd teach him. She'd put him right out of business.

[CalamityJade]

That brought a bit of a smile. "The other service is a little more..experimental. And I think would also be useful for you're situation." He opens a drawer and pulls out what she can only imagine is a ledger. "So, firstly, we'll speak on your situation. You need funds to pull yourself out of this spiral you seem to be in. And you've been trying to make it by each paycheck, yes?"

[yamikuronue]

...Experimental? Erika swallows, her mouth suddenly dry. "Yes," she says, her voice hoarse.

[CalamityJade]

"And you're payed every..." He looks down at the ledger. "Two week, correct?"

[yamikuronue]

She nods. "Correct."

[CalamityJade]

He nods, seeming to look over..something before closing the ledger. "So, here is what we can do. I can obviously give you a loan for the money you've been shorted, and we can go about this as a normal transaction. But I have a feeling that you are tired of this entire dance. Moving from each paycheck, scraping and suffering for the single hope that you will have enough to continue having a home...maybe even one without other...occupants?" Was...he talking about the rats? No, he must just be guessing at that point. The opposite is too insane to really be possible.

[yamikuronue]

Erika lowers her gaze to her lap, the vision of herself in a golden ballgown once again dancing before her eyes. "I... That would be..." She finds herself at a loss for words, the hated tears welling up in her eyes again. No. If she hasn't cried yet, she definitely won't cry at the promise of something sweet for once in her life. Hell, a house.. that was too much, far too much to dream for. A fresh strawberry is as impossible to her, and much cheaper.

[CalamityJade]

There was movement...and for some reason there was something being offered to her? it appears that Mr. Harrox has gotten from his seat and was offering Erika his hankerchief. "It is something that I can offer. It would be slow, at first, but it is obtainable." He leans against the edge of his desk. "I would not jest about such a thing to someone that seemed close to being...lost." Or Abandoned. The Lost is what some people called those that the city seemed to ignore in polite company or when they didn't want to seem cruel...but with Mr. Harrox's voice it seemed...less mocking. He's not saying that she's worthless, but that she just needed a chance. A bit of a leg up to make it.

[yamikuronue]

Erika nods, taking the handkerchief. "What do you want me to do?"

[CalamityJade]

"Well...there is a bit of paperwork, but as a businessman, I've never been one to leave doubts." He offered his hand. "For now, we'll shake on it, give you ten crowns for the next couple of days and see where it goes from there." Wow...with ten crowns she could...honestly pretty good. Maybe even catch up! "Of course, if you don't find things satisfactory, we can leave it at that and you won't have owed me a thing. Call it a...good will gesture."

[yamikuronue]

Erika swallows. "Ten.... when do I have to repay you?" she asks, her hands twitching. Six crowns! She could buy meat and bread instead of cheap canned tuna, and maybe even a nice outfit to go to that bazaar that's been advertised all over town...